Tire-armor.



J. J. BUKOLT.

TIRE ARMOR.

APPLICATION FILED was, 1912.

1,061,524. Pat nted May13,1913.

2 SKEETS-SHEET 1.

a rwemtoz J. J. BUKOLT.

TIRE ARMOR.

APPLIOATION mum AUG. 8, 1912.

1,061 ,524. Patented May 13,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Iva/mm I provided at their side edges with lips a JOHN J. BUKOL'I, 0F STEVENS POINT, WISCONSIN.

TILRE-Al'tMOR.

oewe/a.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1.3, 1913..

Application filed August 8, 1912. Serial No. 714,045.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that l. Jenn J. .l louour, a,

citizen of the United States, residing at Stevens Point, in the county of ,lhn-tage and State of l l isconsin. have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Tl.irc Armors; and It do declare the following to be a full, clear and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appcrtaiiu-z to make and use the same.

This invention relates to iu'iprovemcnts in tire armors or protectms.

The object of the invention to provide a tire armor which is noiseless when a plicd and which thoroughly protects the tread of the wheel against puncture.

Another object oil. the invention is to provide a tire armor which may be quickly and readily adjusted and which may be easily repaired should one of the sections become worn or loose.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel 'lcaturcs of construction combimrtirm and arrange ment of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :-l "igurc 1 represents a side elevation of a portion of a tire equipped with this il'nproved armor; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a trans'veri'sc vertical sertion, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; .l ig. t is a longitudinal section through the trtaulplatcs; Fig. 5 rcjn'escnts a detail pm's iicctive view of one of the outer tread plates; Fig. (3 is a similar view of one oi the inner tread plates; and Fig. 7 is a similar view of one of the connecting strips. Fig. 8 a detail of he outer member.

In the en'ibodinicnt illustrated. the tread portion of the armor colllposed oi. a plu rality of outer tread plates 1 which alternate with inner tread plates 2. which are hooked together to form a double joint and an absolutely solid steel tread, through which it is impossible for a tack or any article to pass. As shown, these outer plates 1 have their opposite ends bent imvardly to form hooks 3 and the inner plates are similarly bent to form hooks t, with which the hooks 8 of the outer plates are engaged, as shown clearly in Fig. l. This connection of theinne' and outer plates forms a tlexilole tread surface and one which is lll\])(l'- vious to puncture. These inner plates 2 are l" bent to conform to the curvature of the tire and to which connecting straps (3 are secured. 'lhesc straps (3 are composed of any suitable tlcxiblc mater-lair, preferably of leather, and are secured by riveting or otherwise at one end to the lips 5 and their outer ends are provided with hooks as 7 for a purpose to be describtul. 'lhc lips 5 are preferably provided on their outer faces with indentations 5 which form spurs 5" on the lower faces of the lips to engage the straps t3 and assist the connecting rivets in holding them against lateral movement. The outer plates 1 are also provided at their opposite edges with inwardly turned aprons 8, which are bent at an obtuse angle and designed to retain the the in a rot or deep wheel track to prevent twisting of the vehicle. 'lhcsc aprons 8 are provided at their opposite side edges adjacent their connection with lheir respective plates with indentations 8' for closely positioning the inbent portion relative to the ends of the flanges thereof whereby the plates '1 are locked against lateral moven'lcnt and the joint between them and plates 2 'n-otccted against. the entrance of mud and dust.

The connecting straps ll are connected to gethcr and held in operative position by resilient annular members thhcre shown in the form of coiled springs which engage the tire near its connection with the wheel rim and with which the hooks T of the straps l'i are engaged as is shown clearly in Fig. 3. These resilient retaining members 9 hold each sec.- tion of the armor in place in close relation to the tire and yet. permit said armor to yield when the tire is inllatcd. and when the tire is fully inllated the armor is held by said springs absolutely light on the tire. Should the armor bceonm stretched or loosened for any reason one section. comprising an inner plate 2 and an outer plate 1 together with the connecting straps attached to said inner plate may be readily removed by unlumking them from adjacent plates and by disengaging the hooks 7 from the retaining members 9. The other plates of the tread portion are then hooked together and the tire armor tightened to the proper degree. it will thus be obvious that the members 5) form tcnsioning devices for the armor sections, the ends of said elements being detachably connected to provide for their lcngtlnmiug and shortening as may be desired to lit tires o'l' diil'erent circumfei CIICCS.

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I claim as my invention:

1. A tire armor comprising a tread por tio-n composed of a plurality of alternately arranged inner and outer plates having hooks at the opposite ends thereof, the hooks of the outer plates being engaged with those of the inner plates, said inner plates being provided at their opposite side edges with lips, flexible straps secured to said lips, and yielding means for detachably connecting said straps.

2. A tire armor pomprising a plurality of alternately arranged inner and outer plates flexibly connected, flexible straps s cured to the side edges of one series of said plates and provided withhooks at their "free ends, andresilient annular members engaged with said hooks for detachably connecting the straps and for securing the armor to a tire.

3. A tire armor comprising a plurality of alternately arranged inner and outer plates having interlocking hooks at their ends, said inner plates having laterallyexteuding lips projecting from their side edges, flexi ble straps secured at one end to said lips and provided at their free ends with hooks, and annular coiled springs detachably engaged with the hooks of said straps. l

4.. A tire armor comprising a plurality of alternately arranged inner and outer plates having interlocking hooks at their ends, said inner plates having laterally extending lips projecting from their side edges, flexible straps secured at one end to said lips and provided at their free ends with hooks, and annular coiled springs detachably engaged with the hooks of said straps, said outer plates having laterally extending aprons on their side edges set at an angle thereto.

A tire armor composed of a tread section comprising outer members each having a substantially rectangular body with inturned hooks alongits front and rear ends and inturned sides standing over the extremities of said hooks, and inner members each having a flat rectangular body with outturnod hooks along its frontand rear ends adapted to engage those on the outer members and stand between the sides of the latter, and lips along its opposite sides combined with attaching means engaging said lips for holding the tread section on the tire. A d

between the sides or" the 6. A tire armor composed of a tread section comprising outer members each having a substantially rectangular body with inturned hooks at its opposite ends and in turned sides standing over the extremities of said hooks and inner members each having a flat rectangular body with outturned hooks on its opposite ends adapted to engage those on the outer members and stand latter, and lips deflected from the plane of the body toward the axis of the wheel; combined with flexible IYIGD EbQIS connected with said lips, and means for clamping said members on the exterior of the tire.

T. A tire armor comprising a plurality of alternately arranged inner and outer plates having interlocking hooks at their ends, said inner plates having laterally extending lips projecting from their side edges, flexible straps secured at one end to said lips and provided at their tree ends with hooks, and

annular coiled springs detachably engaged with the hooks of said straps, said outer plates having laterally extending beveled aprons O11"tl1ll side edges provided with means for protect'ng the ends of the joints between the plates.

8. A tire armor comprising a plurality oialtcrnately arranged inner and outer plates having interlocking hooks at their ends, said inner plates having laterally extending lips projecting straps secured at one end to said lips and provided at their free ends with hooks, and annular coiled springs detachably engaget with the hooks of said straps, said outer plates having laterally extending inwardly deflected aprons on their side edges, said aprons being inbent at. their bases to lock them against lateral movement and to pro tect the joints between the plates.

I 9. A. tire armor comprising a plurality of alternately arranged inner and outer plates having interlocking books at their ends, said inner plates having laterally extending li )S orojecting from their side edges, flexible straps secured. at one end to said lips and provided at their free ends with books, and annular coiled springs detachably engaged with the books of said straps, said outer plates having laterally extending inwardly deflected aprons on their side edges, said aprons having indentations at their bases adjacent their side edges.

in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing watnesses.

JOHN J. BUKOLT.

l l itnesses T. L. N. PORT, A. T. GR NT.

from their side edges, flexible 

